Tennis star Svitolina announces end of marriage with Monfils, citing Ukraine war's emotional toll
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Tennis star Svitolina says emotional toll of Ukraine war led to Monfils separation
Image source: Reuters
Image caption: Monfils and Svitolina played in the mixed doubles together at this year's US Open and reached the semi-finals.
By Jack Burgess
Published 15 minutes ago
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has announced the end of her marriage with French former tennis player Gaël Monfils, blaming the emotional impact of the war in her country.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, the 32-year-old ranked No. 6 in the world, revealed the effect of the conflict, "what the war has done to me inside."
"This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share," she wrote, "I need to find my way back to myself." She added that she felt she could not do that within her marriage.
She praised her husband Monfils, 40, "for listening" and "respecting what I need with a strength and grace I will never forget."
"Some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you," Svitolina continued.
It was "the hardest thing I have ever had to tell the person I love", she said, "Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. What you didn't see were the sleepless nights, the doubts, and the feeling of slowly losing myself."
Svitolina and Monfils married in 2021 and have one child together - a four-year-old daughter called Skai.
"Our marriage is ending, but our family is not," she concluded.